Heat sinking devices may be coupled to a heat generating device such as a semiconductor device to remove heat and lower the maximum operating temperature of the heat generating device. Cooling fluid may be used to receive heat generated by the heat generating device by convective thermal transfer and remove such heat from the heat generating device. Another way to remove heat from a heat generating device is to couple the device to a finned heat sink made of a thermally conductive material, such as aluminum.
However, as power electronics are designed to operate at increased power levels and generate increased corresponding heat flux due to the demands of newly developed electrical systems, conventional heat sinks are unable to adequately remove the heat flux to effectively lower the operating temperature of the power electronics to acceptable temperature levels.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative cooling devices for cooling heat generating devices.